


Laying the Foundation

by Merfilly



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Thrawn Trilogy - Timothy Zahn
Genre: Gen, Pre-Canon, Yuletide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-22
Updated: 2013-12-22
Packaged: 2018-01-05 12:06:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1093684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pellaeon is invited to meet with an Admiral, and it just may set his course.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Laying the Foundation

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bofoddity](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bofoddity/gifts).



Pellaeon knew he was slightly off-balance as he checked into the hotel that had been specified. A key was given to him and his one travel bag taken up. In his uniform, he was given top-notch courtesy, something that left him appreciating the firm control the Galactic Empire still held here. Ever since Yavin -- 

He cut his thoughts off. The Rebel Alliance would fall, and wayward planetary systems that had fallen to their sway would be disciplined back onto the rightful track. 

He proceeded up to the suite he had been assigned, still curious why a high ranking officer like Thrawn would have sent for him to meet him in this fashion. He considered the _Chimaera_ , currently in for a retrofit, and how it might play into future engagements if Thrawn was seeking to maneuver his ship into Thrawn's personal taskforce.

The man had made a strong impression on him at Poln Minor, even though the battle there had been costly in terms of repairs. Lives, however, had been saved, despite that horrible battle, and Pellaeon appreciated that in his fellow officers. So many had grown wasteful of the primary resource of the Empire: the men who crewed ships and provided stormtroopers.

The suite was well-appointed, luxurious by Pellaeon's standards, but it did befit his own rank as Captain of the _Chimaera_. He had to maintain appearances, a factor Thrawn had taken into account in arranging this rendezvous. 

His inspection of the quarters brought him to an actual handwritten invitation on the suite's desk, addressed to him. Pulling the card out, Pellaeon deciphered the script, an elegant though functional one, to read the contents.

_Dear Captain, when you are firmly settled in, I would be pleased by your company in the suite across the corridor. Please join me at your convenience, but no later than the standard dinner hour, as I have thoughts that may interest you._

It was unsigned, but at this point, Pellaeon was willing to trust this scenario as Thrawn's own careful handiwork. His curiosity was boundless in the matter. No whiff of disloyalty had ever attached to the superior officer, and it was not that uncommon for negotiations to begin in this fashion for the reassignment of vessels.

While it would not do to keep the Vice-Admiral waiting, Pellaeon also knew better than to appear too swiftly. He took the time to freshen up, checking his uniform over carefully, and to make certain he had no messages pending from Command or from his vessel. With these tasks attended, he felt confident enough to walk over to the Vice-Admiral's quarters, knocking once.

"Enter."

It was the same voice, same cool and level tone Pellaeon remembered from the entire fiasco against Nuso Esva, setting more of the Captain's mind at ease. He had been completely impressed with Thrawn's solution to that fight, and looked forward to finally meeting the man face to face.

* * *

Grand Admiral Thrawn saw benefit in the methodology of the Emperor's secretiveness around that promotion. While it was an official one now, instead of lurking in buried records, it suited him to wear the lesser rank that this Captain was expecting. Pellaeon matched his records perfectly. He presented as a crisp, solid Navy man in all aspects. 

"Captain, it is good to finally meet face-to-face. I have to admit that I took an interest in you, following our first encounter."

As he spoke, he watched the human for the tell-tale signs of xenophobia that seemed to be one of the largest flaws in the senior Naval staffing. What he saw told him that was not the case here. But then, Gilad Pellaeon's service extended back to before the purges that had destroyed many non-humans who had served the Old Republic.

"Vice-Admiral Thrawn, I am honored to be in your presence."

That careful wording showed that Pellaeon had survived the political mayhem of dealing at close quarters with both the Sith Lord and the Emperor's chosen officers. It was a greeting designed to flatter and to acknowledge rank. However, Thrawn had no need of that, and deliberately chose to offset it.

"Thrawn will do. Do you answer to Gilad, or are you like many career men who answer best to just the last name, Captain?"

The Chiss watched as Pellaeon proved to live up to his careful screening, accepting the informality of the situation, despite both men being attired as officers of the Empire. "Gilad will do. I take it you wish to maintain a quiet discourse on whatever matters you wish to address?"

"Let me put your mind at ease, Gilad. I am here for neither sedition nor underhanded dealings to acquire your command." Thrawn indicated the nearby chair, studying his chosen companion carefully as the man took a seat… and edged it ever so carefully at a different angle. "You caught a glimpse of my bodyguard, Rukh. Please be at ease; he is merely a precaution against reprisals from one of the criminal elements I dealt with in past years."

Thrawn had told Rukh to be noticeable, yet still concealed for this meeting. It was one more test for him to measure Pellaeon by, and he had passed remarkably well. Merely that silent precaution with the angle of his chair which made Thrawn certain he had chose wisely.

"Understandable in these uncertain trials brought on by lawlessness in too many parts of the galaxy. Our forces are stressed by the drain the Rebellion has placed on it," Pellaeon said with frank honesty.

Thrawn slowly smiled at that blunt appraisal. "You and I can have a very long, rewarding association, Gilad. Your perception of current events mirrors my own thoughts on the matter." 

"It should be the only perception among the loyal Naval officers," Pellaeon said in a stiff voice, but Thrawn saw the interest in those eyes watching him. He had successfully intrigued the human, which had been his goal.

"I know that the _Chimaera_ is in process of being overhauled, bringing her up to the level of the _Executor's_ current technology," Thrawn began. "No, I am not here to woo you into a taskforce of my design, Gilad. You are assigned just where you need to be." He shifted to a far more casual stance, pleased when his guest matched him. It indicated that the Captain was truly listening to him. "There is a battle coming, one staged around a rather distant forested moon."

The intake of breath and slight widening of Pellaeon's eyes confirmed that at least one captain outside of Piett was aware of what was being constructed, and possibly the plans for it. "There are some who believe that this is a singular tax upon the resources we currently have," he said cautiously, refusing to state outright his true distaste for the mobile battle stations that had been named 'Death Stars'.

"There are many reasons not to disagree, Gilad. But that is not the true reason I wish to speak to you about the near future surrounding it." Thrawn had the phrasing here worked out carefully, treading a line between questioning the Emperor and honestly being concerned for the Galactic Empire's survival. It had to remain strong, as the threat from beyond Chiss space was growing ever closer. "I am to leave yet again for the Uncharted Regions, Gilad. And yet I have misgivings concerning the battle station. I wish to know, in the event of another unfortunate event such as occurred at the battle of Yavin, that at least one officer will be there and think of the primary resource we possess." 

"Sir?" Pellaeon's face was a remarkable study in cautious hope and surprise.

"You have a history of being willing to turn from battle in the face of overwhelming odds, dating back to your first command during the Clone Wars," Thrawn said. "To preserve your men. When I worked with you during the events around Nuso Esva's defeat, you were singularly possessed of a level head in regards to saving not just your ship but all of our men and vessels. I want to encourage you to be mindful of this fact, for should Piett fall… it is clear which ship will be at the forefront of any such battle."

* * *

Pellaeon could not believe what he was hearing. On the one hand, it was skirting close to the line of losing faith in the Empire's Navy. Yet, Pellaeon had looked at the transcripts that had survived the Battle of Yavin, read between the lines of what had not been said in them. 

Tarkin had failed to consider defeat as a possibility. And the Galactic Empire had lost many, many good men and women.

The other side of all of this was meeting a man like Thrawn who honestly seemed to **care** for the lives that so many other officers would have thrown away.

"Should it come to that, Thrawn, I will do my best to preserve the Navy's crews and troops as well as the ships," he stated slowly, studying that alien face carefully.

What he read was relief, though masterfully contained to merely the eyes and a lightening of the mouth's lines.

"Good." Thrawn inclined his head once. "With that out of the way, Gilad, I do hope you will at least enjoy one meal with me… so we may grow to know one another through more than a battle plan cobbled together across communication lines. I believe it is only fair, given what I am asking of you, when you are not even of my command."

Pellaeon let himself relax, even as he could almost have sworn the word 'yet' lingered in the air, despite being unspoken. "I believe that is a good idea, Thrawn. We never know when such familiarity could prove to have benefits we do not yet see."

"Exactly."

**Author's Note:**

>  _Choices of One_ and the Wookiepedia provided the gist for this. As I have never actually seen the source canon where Pellaeon accepts Thrawn onto the _Chimaera_ , and his command, I wanted to expand on that first meeting made in _Choices of One_. Apologies if this contradicts anything in the Expanded Universe.


End file.
